The Eye of a Needle

"Jesus answered,

'If you want to be perfect, go, 

sell your possessions

and give to the poor,

and you will have treasure in heaven.

Then come, follow me.'

When the young man heard this,

he went away sad, 

because he had great wealth.

Then Jesus said to his disciples,

'I tell you the truth,

it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Again I tell you,

it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle

than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'"

Matthew 19:21-24

I've always heard that Jesus was referring in this passage to a gate in Jerusalem that was called, "the eye of the needle."  It was supposedly so small that the only way a camel could get through it was to bend down on its knees.  According to the original Greek, however, the actual word used was kamilos, meaning "rope" but was confused in translation with the word for "camel," meaning kamelos.  So it seems the true gist of this metaphor was that it is more difficult to thread a rope through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

Either way, the point is that it is hard for the well-to-do to humble themselves to the point of valuing Jesus alone, above all other things.  Even though I don't consider myself to be rich, if I have a place to live, at least one meal to eat every day, and more than one set of clothing, then I am considered to be rich by the standards of the rest of the world.  

Putting money aside, however, I'd like to open up the realm of possibilities of what makes me rich.  Jesus went right to the heart of the matter with this young rich ruler.  He knew what the man valued above Him; money.  What do I value more than Jesus?  Or, to put it another way, of what would I have a hard time letting go if Jesus asked me?

Stuff

One of my favorite chaplains when my family was involved in the Army Chapel system was a young man who could have made a decent living as a stand-up comic.  One of his favorite things to say was that, "it's just stuff."  He could have been referring to irritations, possessions or relationships.  His meaning was that apart from Jesus, nothing else really mattered.

The "stuff" that we Westerners hold near and dear to our hearts is possessions.  We love our gadgets and can't wait to get the newest electronic device or computer upgrade.  Watching movies on a small screen just doesn't cut it anymore; everyone has to have a high-definition flat-screen wonder with surround sound and 3-D capabilities.  Whenever a new phone comes out, we're first in line to give it a try.  Cars quickly lose their appeal and we are swift to make a trip to the dealership to quench our thirst for the newer, better and nicer ride.

The question my pastor asked in Bible study one time was this: What do you hold with a closed hand?  He went on to challenge me with the thought that every possession that comes into my hands may not necessarily be for me.  Instead of holding things with a clenched fist, I could instead choose to carry it with an open hand, ready to give it away at a moments' notice.

I  have a friend who actually does this.  I must be careful when I'm around her because if I admire a necklace, scarf or teapot, she'll give it to me on the spot.  God put it on her heart to stop valuing her stuff and give it away when someone comments on it.  In this way, God is teaching her to hold her things with an open hand.

God's Word teaches us that everything that we can smell, feel, taste, and see will burn up on the day of the Lord.  (2 Peter 3:10)  Nothing will remain.  Since I can't take any of this stuff with me, why do I spend so much time, money and effort buying it, cleaning it, caring for it, and using it?  What time that I spend on this stuff would be better off spent on something that will survive the fire at the end of times? (Matthew 6:19-21)  

If Jesus is my most valuable possession I will be willing to hold all my stuff in an open hand.

People

I remember feeling pretty attached to my boyfriend when I was in High School.  I recently took a peek into my Adolescent mind by reading my diary.  I can't bear to think of my life without him. . . I love him so much!  I can't wait to see him again!  It will be hard when he goes off to college, but I'll try to see him as much as I can.  I can't imagine living without him.

Wow.  If it wasn't for that diary, I wouldn't have recalled the depth of my affection for this boy.  Thankfully, my relationships since have taken on a more mature and well-balanced quality, at least for the most part.  As much as I thought I loved my High School sweetheart, my heart is now much more closely entwined with my husband and children.  They mean more to me than any other humans in the world.  

I have to admit, though, there was a time when I was afraid God would ask me to go on some kind of overseas mission and I would be forced to choose between my family and obedience to God.  How could I leave my young daughters behind?  Behind this fear was a deeper issue: I was valuing them more than Jesus.  

Oswald Chambers puts into perspective in this way.  He says, "There is only one Being Who can satisfy the last aching abyss of the human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.  Why our Lord is apparently so severe regarding every human relationship is because He knows that every relationship not based on loyalty to Himself will end in disaster."

It is very easy for me to expect my husband to fulfill that deep-seated need for me to feel loved and cherished.  When he is less than loving, I am incensed and unhappy.  If instead I placed that burden upon Jesus, I find He loves me with a love that will quench my deepest thirst.  (John 4:13-14)

I can look to my friends to fulfill my desire for companionship, or I can turn to Jesus to be my constant friend who will always love me and never leave me.  (Hebrews 13:5)

I can find fulfillment in my role as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, but my true source of contentment is in Jesus. (Philippians 4:12-13) 

If Jesus is my most valued relationship I will be willing to let go of my loved ones and count on Him to fulfill all my needs.

Holiness

Author and educator William Arthur Ward said, "Blessed is he who has learned to admire but not to envy, to follow but not to imitate, to praise but not flatter, and to lead but not manipulate."  There is a fine line to living my life for the glory of God and living my life for my own success.  I may try to be encouraging and supportive on my own, but I end up becoming a smooth-sweet-talker.  

I could intend to observe other's lives in order to get ideas in how to improve mine, but I only wind up with jealousy and resentment.

It may be that I find myself to be a strong leader but I easily slip into the role of judgmental bully.  

When I value my own character development in God and His ways, love goes out the window.  Selfishness comes naturally to me.  It is normal for me to desire the best of everything for myself.  This applies to godly character traits, as well.  I want to be the best Christian I can be, not necessarily so I'll please God, but many times its so I can be thought of by others as a strong believer.  

Selfish motivations get me in trouble when it comes to my walk with Christ.  Instead of focusing on what I'll get out of my relationship with Him, I can concentrate on making myself less and Him more.  My desire to obey must be out of a clean heart with no thought of what I'll gain.  (Psalm 51:10)

If Jesus is my motivation I will be willing to follow Him without regard for my own growth.  

It is hard to follow Jesus wholeheartedly!  There are many things I hold closely to my heart.  I clench my fists around my stuff, embrace family and friends tightly as I count on them to fulfill my needs, and I selfishly motivate myself to obey with the hope of gaining a more godly character.  

As Jesus looks at me in my despair,  He reminds me that, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."  (Matthew 19:26)

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will value Jesus above all other things, people and benefits.

How do I desire a stronger faith, but don't think about how I can glorify God?

When is my stuff more important than my relationship with Jesus?  What am I unwilling to give away?